Eintracht Frankfurt is heading to Iceland for the first leg of their UEFA Women’s Europa Cup second qualifying tie, and you gotta believe they are absolutely itching to replicate their scorching Frauen-Bundesliga form on this European stage. This isn’t just another game, it’s a chance to wipe away some serious pain.
Relegated and Reloaded: Frankfurt’s Wild Ride
Niko Arnautis’ side has been on a rollercoaster, for real. They just ripped off three successive league wins, absolutely tearing up the Frauen-Bundesliga, which shows you they’re still playing with a chip on their shoulder. Why the chip? Because this squad faced absolute heartbreak in the Champions League qualifiers against PSG. They pushed it all the way to extra-time, only to concede *four goals in 30 minutes* while playing with ten players! That’s just brutal. To make it sting even more, they found themselves relegated to the Europa Cup, again. Last season, it was a heavy defeat to Real Madrid in those same qualifiers that sent them here. But hey, they didn’t just crawl into a hole. These players have been on fire in front of goal, smashing in seven goals in their last two outings against Hoffenheim and newcomers Mainz. Their attack is absolutely clicking right now, and that’s exactly what you want to see heading into a European clash.
Hafnarfjarðar Isn’t Just Showing Up
Don’t sleep on the hosts, Hafnarfjarðar. They earned their spot in this second round with a solid 2-1 aggregate win over Apollon Ladies from Cyprus. This isn’t some rookie team; they finished second in Iceland’s top-tier league, the Besta deild kvenna, a full ten years after getting promoted. That’s a serious climb, proving they know how to build a winning program and compete at a high level. They’re going to be looking to make a statement at home, trying to shut down Frankfurt’s red-hot offense.
The Expected Starting XIs
You want to know who’s stepping onto the pitch for this crucial first leg? Here’s what’s expected:
**Hafnarfjarðar:** Guðmundsdóttir in goal; Björnsdóttir, Smith, Sandoval, Linnet across the back; Helgadóttir, Haraldsdóttir, Hauksdóttir (the captain), Snorradóttir, Magnúsdóttir in the midfield; and Errington leading the attack.
**Frankfurt:** Altenburg between the sticks; Lührßen, Østenstad, Doorsoun, Wolter on defense; Açıkgöz, Ivelj, Freigang (their captain), Memeti in the middle; with Tolhoek and Blomqvist up front.
Frankfurt reached the semi-final of the inaugural Europa Cup season last term before getting bounced by eventual winners BK Häcken. They know how deep this run can go, and they want more. This first leg is massive, setting the stage for who has the edge in the second leg. Can Hafnarfjarðar hold strong at home and stop an absolute goal machine? Can Frankfurt finally push past their Champions League demons and build momentum towards another deep run? You know both teams are leaving it all out there.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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